


Tunnel Rats

by Hyndara71



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-05-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 11:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyndara71/pseuds/Hyndara71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Placed right after 2.12. While Renard is on vacation (in hope to find a solution to his current condition) and Hank is still in the hospital there are some abductions all over Portland. Nick has to team up with a detective from another precinct who also is working on that case. Not knowing if he could trust this new partner all the evidence lead the Grimm directly to the old Shanghai-tunnels underneath Portland ... Action/Adventure, Crime, Nick-Whump, OC, AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Grimm is the property of NBC, Hazy Mills Production, CK Production and a lot of others. Nothing mine, only the idea.  
A/N: Again, no beta so forgive me please my mistakes. Besides, this is the first time I'm publishing a longer fic without doing a translation.

 

Erica Langston walked down the street at night. The traffic on the highway miles away sounded somewhat like a distant surge. The asphalt shimmered wet and black, like a dark and half broken mirror. The rain earlier this evening left some puddles behind. Erica had to move around those.  
Not the best idea to wear her high-heels she reminded herself. But what was a successful woman able to do to be successful – or become more successful?  
Erica went home from a party a collegue had given. It was his birthday-party if she was right. My, she only barely remembered his name … Barry, Larry, Harry … something boring and lame – just like the guy himself.  
The only reason she went to this party was said -arry's best buddy: Mister Delani. Delani was a boss, a higher ranked, a better paid man. Well, at least he didn't have the best taste but this Erica had already known. No normal ambitious human would befriend a jerk like said -arry.  
Erica sighed.  
She had hoped she could somehow … well, let her body work for her to get the promotion she wanted. She really did her best until she realized WHAT was really going on between said -arry and Anthony Delani …  
Why oh why every single male subject in her reach seemed to be gay?  
Erica had no problems with gay, seriously not! My, the salesman at her favorite boutique was gay – and he had the best taste in three states she would bet! But Anthony Delani? This middleaged but still hot looking guy with two kids at home? How she could have known that his „wife“ wasn't exactly female?  
Erica pulled a face, looking down into the wet mirror of another puddle.  
She was so damned stupid to think she could make a man giving her a promotion!  
She looked down in the shadow of her own face, now very serious.  
Why hadn't her inner alarm warned her? Why didn't she noticed what was going on?  
She didn't know. But she was sure now she would have a hard time at work …  
Erica noticed the movement only one second before a hand grabbed her by the shoulder, pushing her around. And another hand suddenly was on her mouth pressing her lips against her teeth.  
The last thing she remembered was a pain, hitting her neck. She didn't feel the blood running down her decollete, she passed out before she had a chance to fight …


	2. New beginnings

Nick never was an early bird but getting up at 5.30 AM was a bit too … early for him. The only thing that kept him alive and awake was Monroe's coffee – and, of course, later the breakfast he always was looking forward to.  
While the Blutbad was busy with his Pilates Nick drove up to the bakery his friend was frequenting and got Monoe's usual order – as a double which the shop-girl only slowly get into her mind. When he came back to his new "home“ (well, it still didn't feel like home but he had to accept it) his friend was usually taking a shower and Nick put up the dinner-table for their breakfast.  
What was getting into a tradition for them both. Monroe had tried during the first days to interest Nick into his training but the Grimm avoided this as good as he could – finally in the way it was working now.  
One week before Hank would finally released from the hospital Nick really hoped to get his partner back as soon as possible. But the broken bones needed for an only human much longer to heal than it took for Nick as a Grimm. So, he was doing his work alone, trying to stay away from Renard and the precinct as good as he could. Good to have Wu there who kept him up to date, told him about his duty and so on. And the moving over at Monroe's was right now the perfect excuse not to go to the precinct and met his boss.  
On the positive side: he was sleeping in a bed now, a bed, not on a couch! His back was more than thankful for this change. It was also a good feeling to come home from work and have someone around carrying for him and what he was doing – not to mention that Monroe really was a good cook! Nick felt that he was calming down, that his anger (still there) wasn't on the surface of his mind anymore. True, it was pretty close and one reason why he avoided to go to the precinct, but he wasn't in the mood anymore to beat the hell out of every criminal Wesen he could find – which was right now with Hank in the hospital not such a good idea.  
The, to quote Monroe here, not so bright side was, that Nick finally got that Monroe was about to start a relationship with Rosalee and their phonecalls till late at night wasn't exactly that informative for him as they were for them both. Nick liked Monroe and he liked Rosalee and he truly liked that they are together. But right now it was hard for him to see the lucky Monroe falling in love while his own heart was broken.  
All in one Nick was on his way to heal – somehow. So he thought.

So this morning started like every other during the last week: Monroe woke him up, he drove to the bakery, then they had breakfast together when Nick's cell-phone started to ring. Sergeant Wu just called to tell him about the new case on which he was supposed to work on. So the breakfast ended very quickly with Nick getting his jacket and his keys and heading out to his truck to drive back to the city where the crime scene was.  
Wu welcomed him and there was a bunch of forensics sticking around, taking photos, searching everything. It was a not so frequented street where Wu led him to and he finally found …  
"A shoe?“ Nick raised his eye-brows. "You are calling me for a shoe!“  
"A women's high heel, to be correct“, explained the Sergeant to him. "And that's not all. Come with me.“  
Nick took a last look at the shoe laying there in the middle of a small puddle before he followed Wu to a second mark on the ground, which turned out as a little more interesting: some dark-red dotts on the ground.  
"Blood?“ Nick asked.  
Wu nodded and moved two fingers. "Follow me, oh stranger“, he said.  
Nick grinned and did so.  
There was a third and a fourth yellow mark on the ground, and Wu let him now to the third one. "Would you please take a look?“ He ordered, pointing to a small black purse on the ground. A woman's purse with a silver chain as strap. The chain was broken like someone had pushed too hard on it.  
"Do we know who's purse we have here?“ Nick asked looking around.  
"Put on gloves and it's all yours“, Wu explained. "Forensics have taken more than enough photos from it. But they won't move it until the okay of a detective.“  
Nick smirked, took the blue latex-gloves Wu was offering him and kneeled down beside the purse. Slowly he took the purse and opened it. Inside there was a smaller second purse, some keys, a small mirror, a lipstick and … well, a condome.  
"Someone had planned a nice evening“, Wu grinned.  
"Could be ...“ Nick was more interested in the small purse and opened this to find a driver's licence with the photo of a young woman there. Blonde hair, blue eyes, nice smile …  
"It's the purse of Erica Langston“, Nick read and looked up. "Ever heard this name before?“  
Wu shoke his head. "Not that I know of“, he answered.  
"Me neither ...“ Nick searched the small purse. Some money, maybe enough to take a cap, a creditcard also of a Erica Langston … and a staff badge from a lawyer's office. And that office of course he remembered – unfortunately too well.  
"Oh great!“ Nick mumbled.  
"What?“ Wu asked.  
Nick stood up again, frowning when he noticed something on the other side of the street. There now had stopped another car and a man was arguing with two officers guarding the crime-scene.  
"Who's that?“ Nick asked.  
Wu turned around and looked at the stranger. "Dunno“, he shrugged. "What you were talking about?“ He pointed at the badge Nick still held in his hand.  
The young Grimm looked down. "It's the laywer's office these killed laywers were working for last year. You remember that?“  
Wu blinkened. "How anyone could forget about to get killed by YMCA?“ he asked.  
Nick again looked up when he noticed some movement out of the the corner of his eye.  
The stranger had left the officers behind and was on his straight way towards Nick and Wu. And … now he was woged.  
Nick's face hardened when he recognized the stranger as a Hundjäger! How much of this guys were still around here? He thought they had killed all of them.  
The Hundjäger morphed back into his human form. "Detective Bruckner, 9th precinct“, he introduced himself holding up a police-badge he'd pulled out of his jacket before.  
"Detective Burkhardt“, Nick answered, then he pointed at Wu, "Sergeant Wu, 3rd precinct. What are you doing here? This isn't your district.“  
Bruckner looked at Nick, then at the purse the Grimm still had in his hand. "Let me guess“, he finally said, "young woman, taken last night. You've found some drops of blood on the ground and her purse. Nothing more.“  
"That's not too hard to explain after looking at the crime-scene“, Nick demanded. "So, again, what are you doing here?“  
"My job!“ Bruckner said hard. "This is my case! I'm working on it!“  
Wu lifted one finger. "Just to correct you: this is Detective Burkhardt's crime-scene, not yours!“  
And again the Wesen woged to the surface, growling at Wu.  
Nick frowned.  
"My case, Officer, mine!“  
"I think this is up to the captains“, Nick said.  
"I'm not leaving this alone, Burkhardt!“ Bruckner told him, moving around and leaving them both behind on his way back to his car.  
"Well, I think there's someone taking something very personal“, Wu suggested.  
Nick only nodded.  
But … when he could get rid off this case he wouldn't have a problem with it he had to say …

 

Monroe was about to leave his home and heading over to the spice-shop when his cell-phone began to ring. The number he didn't know but he accepted the call with a "Yep?“  
"Monroe?“ A female voice asked him. "This is me, Juliette.“  
Monroe stopped in the middle of his movement and turned around. "That's a surprise!“ He decided. "Hello Juliette. How are you?“  
"It's getting better“, she answered. "Look, Monroe, I don't want to drag you in the middle of this but … you know Nick still has some stuff here?“  
Monroe leaned against the front door. "I think so“, he said. "Is something wrong with that?“  
"I don't want it in my house anymore. And I want my key back“, Juliette told him. "I … well, I don't want to talk to Nick about that. The last time I saw him he looked pretty … angry ...“  
Monroe sighed. "He was“, he answered. "Juliette, I really think you two should take some time but not breaking up completely. And you are right, I don't want to get involved into that … but I AM involved! I'm friend of both of you!“  
"So, you don't want to help me?“ Juliette asked. Her voice sounded sad now.  
Monroe sighed again. "I will help you two … or three, counting your new interest to that situation“, he answerred. "So, what do you want now?“  
"I'm with my Mome for one or two weeks“, Juliette explained. "After that I would appreciate it to come back to my house without Nick's stuff still there.“  
Monroe bit his lips not to start to swear.  
"Monroe, really. I tried! Three months I tried but … I barely remember the Nick I had in my house during this time. And I simply don't know anything about the years everyone is telling me we were a couple!“  
"So you want to push him away?“ Monroe couldn't understand. Well, he could, to some point. But everything else …  
"Maybe it's better to get a complete rid off him“, Juliette explained. "If there's is this danger you told me about I don't … I don't think I can even befriend a cop, sorry.“  
"So you want me to tell Nick to get his stuff out of your house?“  
"And leave the key behind“, Juliette agreed.  
Monroe sighed again, shooking his head.  
"You will break his heart a second time“, he said.  
"I know ...“ Juliette's voice faded away. "So, please, tell him. It's not your fault, tell him this too. I only … I cannot stand his voice anymore and I don't want to argue with him about this.“  
"What about your new interest?“ Monroe asked.  
"Sorry?“ Juliette sounded confused.  
"Your new love or however you will call him“, Monroe explained.  
"He's gone too“, Juliette answered. "He told me he wanted to find a cure for this. And then he left.“  
Monroe sighed again.  
"I know this is a bad situation ...“  
"Will do“, Monroe finally decided. "When you are back from your Mom there will be nothing inside your house regarding to Nick.“  
"Thanks, Monroe“, Juliette whispered and ended the call.  
And Monroe felt really bad …


	3. New Order

The precinct was busy as ever but Nick sensed something very different when he finally entered the big crowded room, heading over to his desk. Something was weird but he couldn't name it. Maybe the eyes, watching him, maybe there were more people around then usual. Maybe it was the fact that the shutters of the Captain's office were closed.

That was confusing and something Nick had never seen before, so he frowned when he'd noticed this.

As far as he knew Renard was on vacation. Wu told him about that the Captain was gone one day after he broke with Juliette. Something had happened but neither, not Juliette and seriously not the Captain, was talking about it.

Anyway, Nick decided, this was not his business. He only had to investigate the disappearing of this young woman. Whatever his boss was after or not, especially with Juliette, was not his problem anymore.

He told himself …

Unfortunately his heart was dumb and still full of pain. It simply didn't get what he told himself like a mantra: Not his business – but he still loved Juliette! Not his business – but he wanted her back! Not his business – and he wished to hurt Renard the same way the captain had hurt him, playing him for a while now.

Nick turned around to his desk, hung his jacket over the back of his chair before he finally took a seat.

It felt strange to work on his own and he found himself looking at Hank's empty chair feeling sad.

When he was done with the duty today he would go to the hospital and look after Hank he decided. Monroe would understand, this was important for Nick. Hank still was his partner, and he still was a sort of friend. Maybe a better friend now with knowing about Wesen and Grimm and some of the other stuff. Nick only wished he'd told Hank about what Adalind was before they fought in the park in spring …

Adalind!

Nick suddenly was aware that he didn't know where she was. Still in costudy? He hoped so. Otherwise he was sure she would give him a hard time, trying to play tricks on him. With or without Hexenbiest, Adalind was dangerous and he should be better prepared, just in case she would come free.

One thing he wasn't sure about. As long as Renard was here Adalind would stay in costudy, but whoever was his fill-in could set her free. Definetely not the best idea as long as Nick didn't had a plan what to do with her. He only wanted to know if his guess was true and Renard was the Royal in Portland. Well, it also would be nice to learn about why any Royal was after the key and why this Royal knew that he had it.

Nick was sure Aunt Marie never met Renard, and that was the point in his theory he simply couldn't understand. If Renard knew about the key, who told him? And why? His Mom had told him the Royals had given the keys to the Grimm, so why those Royal now want them back? And why not simply asking? Why this whole playing-tricks-until-you-are-sick-game?

He had talked about this with Monroe now several nights before Rosalee's daily call but they never found an answer or explanation for what was going on. The best way to solve this problem would have been to face Renard. But Monroe didn't let Nick out of his house and finally Renard was gone. Nick wasn't sure if he should wish forever or of a return …

He started his computer hoping for some first early reports when he heard a female voice calling: "Are you Detective Burkhardt?"

Nick moved around looking at a woman, standing beside the open door to the Captain's office and began to nod. "Yes, I am."

The woman waved him. "Come in, please", she ordered and entered the office.

Nick frowned but stood up.

Who was this? He'd never seen her before he was sure. The fill-in for the Captain?

Possible he decided when he opened the door again. Looking back at his desk he there saw Wu, who had just arrived, pulling faces into his direction. Nick shrugged and entered the office.

"Please, close the door", the female voice of the stranger ordered again.

Nick did and turned around – to freeze in the middle of the movement for a second when he saw Bruckner sitting on one of the two chairs on this side of the working desk. The woman stood there, her arms folded , leaning against the top of the desk and looking at him.

"Detective Burkhardt, this is Detective Bruckner", she introduced the Hundjäger a second time while Nick was more interested in learning more about her.

Bruckner gnawled and bit his teeth but didn't say anything.

The woman raised one eyebrow looking again at Nick.

"Ah, I see you two already know each other", she said and stood up. Offering Nick her right hand she finally introduced herself: "Lieutenant Monica LeFleur. I'm the fill-in for Captain Renard. Usually fifth precinct."

Nick shook her hand and put a half smile on his lips. "Glad to meet you", he said.

She nodded and turned to the third chair on the other side of the table. "Would you please take a seat", she said, before she sat down herself.

Nick looked again at Bruckner, shrugged finally and sat down, falting his hand in his lap he looked up at the Lieutenant.

"Gentlemen, I'm glad to meet you two", LeFleur said, looking from on to the other. "To keep a long story short, I just got a call from the mayor."

Nick blinkened. "Why?" he asked.

"Because there are plenty abductions all over Portland", she answered. "And unfortunately one of this victims is the Godchild of our mayor. You can imagine he wants his Godchild back."

Nick nodded. Bruckner at his side blew some air through his nose.

"We now have one dozen cases of disappeared persons", he explained. "And now the mayor wants something? What about the other eleven victims?"

"Well, he wants them all back too – as healthy as we can manage that", LeFleur said.

Nick leaned forward, watching her with some interest. "A dozen?" he asked.

Man, he really wasn't around here for a long time! And Monroe, good old buddy, didn't even let him read the newspaper during the last week. No wonder he wasn't up to date. He could imagine Monroe telling Wu not to give too bad news to him, the Grimm with the broken heart.

"What else the mayor wants? Should we grab some stars from the sky?" Bruckner said. "And why this … meeting with this one here?"

Nick felt the look of Bruckners eyes on his neck. Probably the Hundjäger was searching the best place to bit his throat … ?

"The mayor insisted to put all the cases together. Not one abduction was in the same district than the others. So, for now there are a lot of precincts working on probably only one case. The mayor wants all of this cases in one precinct – the third", LeFleur explained. "And you two are here because the mayor wants the best to work on this case. As I've said, he wants his Godchild back."

"The best?" Nick and Bruckner asked with one voice.

The female Lieutenant smirked. "The best investigators in Portland. Detective Bruckner, I know you just moved over from Chicago but your rate is great. Not to mention Detective Burkhardt, who's probably the best profiler in Oregon State. The mayor wants you two to team up."

"No chance!" Bruckner told her without hesitation. "I'm not teaming up with a … with some schoolboy like this." He nodded in Nick's direction.

"I already have a partner", the Grimm said.

"A partner who is still in the hospital after some intruders beat the hell out of him in his own residence", LeFleur said and shook her head. "It's not a choice, guys. The mayor wants, the superintendent is with him. I'm only the messenger here." Now it was her who was leaning forward, fixing both men's eyes. "But I swear to you: If you fail you can give back your badges – both of you! Do you understand?"

Nick nodded. "I don't have a problem working together with another one", he answered. Not the complete truth but close enough. Working together with a Hundjäger would be difficult but on the other hand he could watch after this Hundjäger as long as they were together.

"I'm not working together with someone like him!" Bruckner said again.

"I'm sorry but you WILL!" LeFleur said with a very clear and cold voice.

Nick lifted his eyebrows. He was impressed.

Bruckner gnawled again. "This is my case!" he said.

"It's our case now", Nick said. "We should try to work together, don't you think?"

"I'm not!" Bruckner jumped to his feet, still gnawling, looking at LeFleur. "You want my badge? You can have it!"

"Calm down, Detective!" She ordered but Bruckner walked straight out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Nick looked after him, again with raised eyebrows.

What the hell was driving this man? Was he nuts?

"Well, maybe he will calm down", LeFleur sighed. "Would you please … ?" She smiled at Nick.

"Sure", he said, standing up again ready to leave the office.

"Probably you should start with the files", LeFleur insisted. "I'm sure Bruckner will come back when he calmed down."

Nick wasn't but he nodded before he left the office.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Monika LeFleur watched the Grimm returning to his desk and smiled, when she pulled her cellphone out of the pocket, dailing a number.

She waited until she heard a "Qui?" before she said: "The game has just begun."

"Be careful!" the voice on the phone said. "He'd done a lot of damage so far."

"I know and I will", LeFleur answered. "And the other one won't be a problem?"

"Bruckner? No one would give a damn when he would lose his head. His own kind thinks of him as a traitor", the voice answered.

The smile grew into a cold grin. "Good to know … Maybe the Grimm will cut off his head soon, we'll see."

"First … the key!"

"Will do." LeFleur ended the call, putting the cellphone back in the pocket.

Stupid Adalind Schade! She should have known better. She only was the bait, the real game was hers, Monica LeFleu's …

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Monroe felt bad when he entered the attic and sighed.

What he was supposed to do, he asked himself.

Well, he wanted to help his friends – both of them. When this help would mean that he had to move the rest of Nick's stuff out of Juliette's house, he would do this. But Nick was hurt enough und probably he wouldn't understand – heck, he, Monroe, couldn't understand why Juliette wasn't able to move the rest of the stuff onto her attic when she didn't want it around!

Nick was the better friend in this relationship. Juliette Monroe only barely knew, mostly he'd learned about her because Nick told him. He only could say that he liked them both together as a couple and that he felt also bad because of his own relationship with Rosalee while Nick's heart was broken.

True, Juliette's obsession for Renard wasn't completely natural, and also true, this situation the three had stocked in for some months now had to end. Nick finally made the move, broke up with Juliette and moved out – only with a small bag full of clothes. All the rest still was at Juliettes – well, after Nick drove over several times to get the most of his stuff out of the house it shouldn't be too much.

So the attic had become a little messy with all the boxes and bags Nick just brought here and put it somewhere on the ground. Only the bag he'd used several times for his clothes was empty, the most of his clothes now in that coffer at the end of the bed. Nick also had put his shirts on a bar he'd somehow fixed between two walls. Wait a minute … wasn't that the stick of his broom Nick now used as clothes rail?

Monroe shook his head and sighed again.

Okay, he could buy another stick or another broom. This wasn't the problem. But looking around to all these boxes and bags made him sad.

So, what he was going to do here? Monroe asked himself, putting his hands on his hips.

He wanted to get the rest of Nick's stuff out of Juliette's house. And he already knew Nick now had the key to Juliette's separeted, just to be on the safe side. He hadn't had it on his keyring anymore. As far as Monroe knew this key should be here somewhere.

But where?

Monroe felt bad.

He really didn't want to get involve to this but … what other chance he had? Juliette wouldn't give in and he wasn't sure if he should tell Nick. So the best idea was to get the stuff out of the house on his own. Seriously, looking at the attic now Monroe was sure Nick wouldn't see any difference.

Man, this guy should move in, Monroe decided, jumping into the next challenge.

But first … where Nick would hide a key … ?


	4. Bad News

Nick was on his way back to Monroe's when his cell began to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket only to look at a number he'd never seen before. A bad feeling came from his stomach and he pulled over and stopped at the side of the street to accept the call:  
"Burkhardt."  
"Mister Burkhardt, here's Doctor Morgan speaking", an unfamiliar voice answered. "Are you the fiancé of Juliette Silverton?"  
Nick frowned. "Uhm … I fear not longer", he answered. "Why?"  
The bad feeling in his gut were getting stronger.  
"Well, you are the one on her file which should be informed in case", this Doctor Morgan told him, "do you know anyone else I could talk to?"  
Nick's heart missed a beat.  
Something happened to Juliette! Something bad enough that a doctor was calling him now.  
"What … what happened?" he asked.  
What if this was a tragic situation? What if Juliette had tried something stupid? The last time he saw her she was so …  
"Miss Silverton was involved into a car-accident", Morgan told him. "I'm calling you from the Memorial Hospital in Olympia."  
Nick's heart missed another beat. "What?" he asked.  
"I'm sorry, Mister Burkhardt. Did you know another one we can talk to?" Morgan asked.  
"Does it look this worse?" Nick heard how throaty his voice suddenly sounded.  
Juliette and a car-accident! Somewhere between Portland and Seattle. Why she was there? Why she … ?  
"Her … her mother", Nick answered finally after he'd noticed to whom Juliette could have drive to. He told the doctor her name and …  
"We tried Mrs. Silverton first. It looks like she's not at home", Morgan told him. "Do you know anyone else if you don't want to get involved?"  
"What happened?" Nick asked. "Does she has serious injuries? Is it worst?"  
Silence. Nick listened to the noise of his blood running through his veins.  
What if it was something serious? What if Juliette … ?  
Don't go this way, he reminded himself. Don't do this!  
"Well, Miss Silverton's car lost the trail", Morgan finally informed him hesitatelly. "And that's what made us think. Is Miss Silverton working in a stressfull job? Was there something bad happened that could ..." He cleared his throat.  
"What?" Nick took a deep breath. "You are telling me Juliette tried a suicide? That's impossible!"  
"You said you two broke up? Could that be a reason?" Morgan asked.  
"Seriously not!" Nick answered with a cold voice. "Juliette is about to start a new relationship with … another man. That's why we broke up."  
"What about this other man? Do you have any information about him?" Morgan wanted to know.  
Nick bit his lips.  
Renard was gone, don't know why or where. After what happened in that night at Juliette's everything was possible. And after Monroe made him believe that Juliette's out of the blue-emotions for his boss are the result of the spell, Adalind put on Juliette …  
Was it possible? Could Juliette, this wonderful life loving woman he felt for four years ago, could she get this deep into a depression that she tried something this stupid?  
"Mister Burkhardt?" Morgan's voice asked and brought him back to reality.  
"Yes, I'm here", Nick answered.  
It could be. They were all three not clear in mind. He himself with leaving this situation and all the help from Monroe was finally able to move on – as hard as this was right now. But he felt it was the better thing for all of them. Juliette needed her space, and maybe, somewhere in the future, when all this trouble would calm down …  
"How is she?" he asked.  
"She's not concious right now", Morgan told him. "And she's lucky. She only got some bruises. But her mental state isn't the best."  
Nick closed his eyes. "What does that mean?" he asked.  
"She told us that here was a monster in her house, and that there also was a mass-murder around and that she didn't feel save anymore. There were a lot of other things, and the most of them didn't make sense I fear."  
Nick nodded slowly.  
He had hoped that Juliette didn't get what Renard and he was talking about in that night. Well, his fault – again! He should have told her the truth, on one point and without the fear of losing her. But he always had her reaction in mind, when he brought her to the trailer and told her everything.  
Maybe he should have tried harder to push Monroe into wogeing in front of her. Maybe she had believed him this time. For Hank this helped, to see his own godchild in her second-form and him in front of her, protecting her and telling him the truth. Maybe he should have tried to do something similiar with Juliette – well, without the gun-and-shooting-part.  
"What do you want to do now?" Nick asked.  
"We want to watch her for a while", Morgan answered. "Maybe it was a shock from the accident and she will be right at mind when she wakes up. But we have to check this. And that's why I call you. We need a permission."  
Nick pressed his lips togehter, the muscles in his cheeks awoke to life.  
This wasn't his business anymore, no matter if he still loved Juliette or not. They broke up and … but this situation was his fault. He was the one responsible for Juliette now on the edge. So it should also his responibility to make this decision.  
"Watch her", he finally said, feeling bad to say this but didn't know what else he could do.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adalind Schade just finished her dinner when she heard the door on the other end of the precinct-jail open. She looked up when the sounds of footsteps grew louder and saw a woman, middleaged, wearing a white blouse and a grey pantsuit came up to her cell.  
The stranger looked at her, lifted finally an eyebrow and began to smile. "So we finally meet, Miss Schade", the woman said.  
Adalind stood up and took the few steps to the bars. "Lucky you", she said. "and who are you?"  
The strange woman smiled. "Oh, we have the same boss, Miss Schade", she answered. "And I'm very … thankful for the work you've done so far. But … I will take over from here I think."  
Adalind frowned. "I'm sorry?"  
"Don't be." The stranger grinned. "Eric sent me after you, controlling what you've done and … well, do your work if you would be failing. Let me say, you halfway failed so I'm taking over your job. Good job with Renard, by the way. But unfortunately you'd fallen for the same mistake most Hexenbiests are doing: your plan is a little bit too complicated to work out without … well, problems."  
Adalind looked at the other woman suspiciously. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "If Eric had send you I'm pretty sure you should help me and not taking over!"  
The grin was still growing. "Maybe, who knows? But … I'm not sitting behind bars like you, my dear. And I'm not a former Hexenbiest stupid enough to get my spirit killed by an unexperienced Grimm." Again she lifted an eyebrow. "He's a really eye-candy, isn't he? I mean I can understand why he could kill your Hexenbiest, especially the delicate detail you shared with Eric ..."  
"This is my order!" Adalind said. "If Eric sent you you should help me. And the first of all … where is Renard?"  
The stranger smiled. "Gone", was all the answer Adalind got.  
"Where?"  
"Dunno", the stranger shrugged.  
"Then you have to release me!" Adalind decided. "As fast as possible!"  
"Don't think so", the stranger answered.  
Again Adalind looked her in the face. "You have to release me – now!"  
"On which reason?" The stranger looked at her with visible amusement. "How I can release a ghost?"  
"I'm under arrest much longer than it is allowed by law!" Adalind said. "I'm a lawyer. Do you really think you will ..." She closed her mouth, her eyes widened when the other woman woged in front of her.  
"I don't think I will release you, Miss Schade", the Wesen said. "And I'm pretty sure no one will miss you."  
With that … the stranger walked away, and left Adalind behind, terrified and shocked.  
What had Eric in mind when he sent out … this? Nothing good for her, Adalind knew now. Probably her death now …

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"Monroe?"  
Nick closed the door behind himself and looked around. There was the smell of fresh bakery in the house. Nick sniffed and followed it to the kitchen.  
Monroe was busy doing some baking. Handling with three different baking sheets needed all his concentration.  
Nick smirked when he noticed some slide drops on the forehead of his friend.  
"Hey, Monroe?" He repeated.  
Monroe jumped a little, standing still for a second, then gazing into Nick's direction. "Oh, you're here!"  
Nick shrugged. "Yep." He took a look at all the bakery Monroe had done. "What is this? What you're doing?"  
"Oh, just … a little baking", Monroe put the baking sheet aside and moved around, wiping off his hand at his pinafore.  
Nick nodded, taking a closer look at the result of his roomate's baking session and finally decided to give one of those weird looking pastries a try. He took one with a reddish fill and sniffed on it.  
"Hey, come on! I'm not going to poison you! Those are very healthy pastries, you know? That one is filled with some herbs Rosalee will love I'm sure."  
Nick looked up. "Rosalee?" he asked. "What about Rosalee?"  
Monroe shrugged, opening the pinafore and putting it aside. "She's coming back. Next week, you know?"  
Nick nodded and sighed.  
They'd talked about this since he moved over here. Maybe Rosalee knew a cure for those obsession Juliette was feeling for his boss. Maybe Rosalee would also find a cure for …  
Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  
'Not think about that what the doctor had told you', he said to himself silently. But the damage was already done.  
"What about the new case you was called for this morning?" Monroe asked.  
Another problem he should solve as fast as possible Nick decided and looked up. "Did you hear about those abductions all over the city?" he asked. "This just started some days ago?"  
Monroe blinkened and nodded. "Yeah, surely. Who not?" His eyes widened after he realized what he'd said. "Upps!"  
"Yeah, exactly." Nick sighed again, leaning forward he looked into the face of his friend. "Seriously, Monroe. I appreciate your help, I really do. But I have to be up to date, you know? It's not about me, it's about the job. I cannot do my work without having the needed informations."  
"Sorry", Monroe answered with a small voice.  
Nick smiled a short smile before he finally took a mouthful from the pastries. The moment the piece of bakery filled the inside of his mouth Nick felt the overwelming urge to spit it out again.  
What the hell had Monroe done here? That stuff tasted like an old shoe combined with sand and mug, flavoured with jalapeno-juice.  
"It's good, isn't it?" Monroe watched him, a big and satisfied grin on his face. "I tried the recipe the whole day but I think those are the best. Don't you think? Doesn't the basil comes right through after you swallowed it?"  
Nick had the problem to swallow whatever he tried to eat at all so he really couldn't answer. The pastrie was so dry and heavy flavoured, he simply couldn't swallow. On the other hand he surely didn't want to hurt his friend and now roomate.  
Feeling like a real hero Nick chew on the stuff in his mouth to finally choke it down his throat somehow. He went to the refrigiator and took a bottle of imported beer to fight the burning, dry and disgusting taste on his tongue.  
"And? It's good?" Monroe still wanted to know.  
This gave Nick a really hard time. Should he tell the truth and say those bakerys were simply uneatable? Or should he try the more diplomatic way?  
He swallowed nearly half of the bottle before he finally decided to go the diplomatic way.  
"Maybe Rosalee will like what you'd done for her", he answered as vague as he could.  
Monroe grinned. "That's good."  
'Oh God, no!' A little voice in Nick's head yelled. 'He will do again some baking for Rosalee if I don't find a way to stop him.'  
"What about some … cookies?" He asked, closing the refridge again. "I know a good recipe. My aunt made them for me when I was still at school."  
Monroe gave him a look. "I really appreciate this offer but ..."  
Nick nodded. "Grimm, I understand."  
Poor Rosalee!  
Monroe waved. "Anyway, I won't stop you from eating. Enjoy it!"  
Nick stared at his roomate for a second, then he looked at the pastrie, which was now lying next to the refridge. No chance to get out of this without hurting Monroe (or himself) …  
Really?  
Nick frowned and looked up again. "Did you talk to Juliette the last days?" he asked, changing the topic.  
Monroe stared at him again with the expression of a deer, facing the headlights. "W... why?" he finally asked.  
Nick shrugged. "Just asking."  
Monroe licked his lips. "Well … define 'last days'?"  
Nick rolled his eyes. "Since I moved out, headed back to face Renard, found out about him being a Wesen and … well, the last time I saw Juliette."  
"You mean that night. The night after you killed the Hundjägers?" Monroe continued.  
Nick blinkened, reminding himself about his new "partner".  
Changing the topic again he asked: "Is it possible to be a Hundjäger and not be part of the Verrat?"  
Monroe seemed reliefed. "I'm not an expert in Hundjägers, dude", he answered. "Why you're asking?"  
"Because … I've a new partner. And this partner is a Hundjäger", Nick answered.  
"A Hundjäger?" Monroe looked at him. "Wow, and you are both still alive?"  
"Not my fault. He disappeared after we were teamed up." Nick shrugged and took another sip from his bottle. "So, is that possible?"  
Monroe's mouth opened for a moment, then he closed him again. "A Hundjäger who's a cop?" he asked. "Dude, that guy is really weird!"  
"I thought so." Nick nodded again. "So it is possible, right?"  
"Hundjägers, not dealing with the family, protecting their take on tradition, that's really rare", Monroe knew. "But … you know when you are waking up, thinking about the way your life is going and are not really satisfied with that …"  
"You mean, he's probably a Wider, right?" Nick asked.  
Monroe nodded. "That's possible."  
"Do you know him?"  
"Well, I know a family, you know? Same church."  
"What family?" Nick asked. "Are they called Bruckner?"  
Monroe thought about that, but finally he shook his head. "No, no, their last name is Dimmel. Still German, but no Bruckner. Sorry."  
Nick frowned. "This Bruckner just moved over to Portland. So maybe you don't know him. Are there many of your churches around here?"  
"A few."  
Damned!  
"Well, don't forget to eat your pastrie, Nick", Monroe said to him, moving around to leave the kitchen.  
The moment Nick was waiting for. He jumped to the trash and placed the pastrie in it, not realizing that Monroe just had turned around.  
"Cretin!" The Blutbad decided and left the kitchen with his nose high in the sky.  
Nick looked after his friend, again smiling for a minute – before he remembered that call he got from the hospital in Olympia …


	5. Serious Business

A/N: I'm sorry that this took a little longer. Let us say my muse disappeared completely and with her my original idea for this story. So, sometimes it's better to let it rest for a while. But now, after thinking about the story and what I wanted to tell with it, I'm back in business and I hope this time I can stick to it and hopeful will be faster with the chapters now.

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The crowd was yelling in excitement, here and there the Wesen underneath the human skin broke to the surface, letting know everyone who haven't seen it yet, what kind was hidden deep inside the body. Blood was spreading in the air, after the Siegbarste in the ring hit his combatant so hard, the skin crashed open.  
Monica LeFleur watched the cage-fight from a window in an office. A smile made her lips curl when she noticed how that combatant broke into his knees.  
With a roar a Lowen entered the cage, followed by two Hasslichen to separate the Siegbarste from his victim. From the side of the cage a man looked up to her. Water-blue eyes met Monica's and he nodded, said something to another guy to his right and walked through the crowd.  
Monica moved around and went over to the writing desk, looking around.  
It was interesting how much this location had changed during the last couple of weeks. The former cold and dark tunnels and rooms were pretty crowded and partly renovated. She wondered by whom? The Eisbiber maybe? Looked like their work but she couldn't see any threat to make them work on one hand without making them tell the local Grimm on the other.  
The new door on the other end of the office opened and the man with the water-blue eyes came in. "Good evening, Miss LeFleur", he said with a smile.  
Monica nodded, leaning with one hip at the desk she crossed her arms. "You screwed us", she said.  
"I'm sorry?" He closed the door and stepped to the other side of the desk. "I didn't. In fact, another week or two and you will have a nice new income. We only have to finish the renovations."  
"I told you not to take anyone anyone could be interested in. You took the Godchild of the Mayor!" she said. "I told you before, this will only work when we are both working together. Working together as in I tell you and you have to follow my orders!"  
"The Godchild of the Mayor?" He looked surprised. "I didn't know."  
"What about the Grimm?" Monica said. "I took you out of prison because you said you had a plan and wanted revenge. I was willing to give you this possibility."  
"I'm working on it", he said. "In fact, the plan started today."  
"Work faster!" Monica ordered, fixing her eyes on his. "And you will release the Mayor's Godchild, as fast as possible and as healthy as possible. I hope for you, no one touched her so far."  
"Who is it?" He asked, opening a laptop on the desk and starting this.  
Monica stared at him for a second with her mouth open, then she closed it. "Are you serious? You are doing inventory?" she finally asked.  
He shrugged. "This place and the work down here needs control. And don't be afraid, I'm using a code." He grinned. "Besides, what did you think about our new warrior?"  
"The Siegbarste? I hope you can control him. I don't want to clean up your mess."  
"He's under control, no worries. I thought about a special fight. The Grimm versus the Siegbarste."  
"I need the key, whatever you will do with the Grimm after that isn't my business anymore", Monica said. "But as long as I don't have it, your Siegbarste should better stay away from the Grimm."  
"He's very handsome, isn't he?" He asked. "You'd fallen for him?"  
"The only man I will fall for is my King", Monica answered.  
"Really? Many things have changed since I went to jail, huh?"  
Monica leaned over the desk, again staring him straight in his eyes. "You'd better don't piss me off, young man! Do your work down here because otherwise you will return to jail!"  
"I don't think so." He typed something, looking up again. "What's her name?"  
Monica named it, straighting again she watched him typing again.  
"If you screw this I swear to you you will regret it", she said finally.  
"She is in preparation. So, she's shouldn't be touched right now. I will release her", he explained, then looking up again. "And … I thought this through, it's working. That was Renard's fault with the Lowen. Lowen need control, otherwise they are thinking they are in charge. Here it is working perfectly." He smiled. "Besides … nice detail: the Mayor's Godchild as a Wesen."  
"Don't be too self-confidend", Monica said. "You'd better be careful and do what you have to."  
"I will."  
Monica looked at him for a moment before she moved around and went to the door.  
"What about the plan for getting the Grimm?" she asked, her hand already on the doorknob.  
He thought about her question for a second, then shrugged. "I will take care of it. Give me two days then his new home will be ready for him."  
"I hope so ..." Monica left the room.  
He stared at the again closed door for a while, his face hardened. Then he turned around to the closet behind his desk and opened the front-doors to stare at a photo, one of many ...

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When Nick came home from the bakery Monroe was in the bathroom showering. The smell of fresh coffee filled the house and seemed to brighten up the cloudy morning. Nick put the bagels and croissants into a nice looking little basket which he put on the dinner-table Monroe already had prepared for their breakfast.  
Living with the Blutbad was a little bit … slower than his life with Juliette Nick realized. While Juliette and he only barely had time for a breakfast at home this was tradition since he moved in at Monroe's. Maybe the fact that he was up earlier now, he thought.  
"Morning Nick", Monroe said, coming down the stairs. "I thought about pancakes today but you were faster."  
"Well, maybe tomorrow", Nick answered. "And Good morning yourself."  
Monroe, his hair still wet and a towel around his shoulders walked straight into the kitchen to get the coffee.  
Nick's smile faded after it came to his mind again what he wanted to tell Monroe. Last night he didn't had a chance, was it the weekly meeting for Monroe's supporting-group. Nick still had some sleep loss so he didn't notice when the Blutbad was back again. But … maybe it was better to do this conversation in the morning.  
Monroe came back and brought the coffeepot with him. "Did you have a good night?" he asked, taking the seat on the opposite to Nick and getting one of the croissants.  
"Slept well, thanks. You? What about the meeting?" Nick replied.  
"It was a good one." Monroe took a bite and chewed.  
Nick put his knife aside and looked up. "I got distract last night", he said. "You know, Juliette?"  
Monroe paused, gulped and shrugged then. "What about her?" he asked.  
"Did you see her or talked to her since … since I moved out?" Nick asked.  
Monroe looked down to the croissant as he could find there the answer to this question.  
"Monroe?" Nick lifted his eyebrows.  
"I … she called me yesterday", Monroe answered and looked up again.  
Nick looked at his friend, waiting for more.  
"She … she told me she wanted to stay with her mother for a while and … well, do you still have some stuff at her house?"  
Nick took a sip from his coffee while he thought about it. "Could be", he finally answered. "But not much. Maybe … don't know. Maybe one or two of my old books from the academy. And the big flatscreen in the living-room I've paid for but I wanted to leave it for her and I'm sure she wanted it too."  
Monroe nodded, poking his croissant with one finger.  
"Why you are asking?" Nick watched his friend.  
Monroe sighed. "Well … it's not me nor my fault, dude. I … I didn't want to tell you about that because … man, I didn't want to hurt you more. You're doing good so far and it was the best decision to move out for now! But I'm still thinking you all three need time to come to clear mind again."  
"I miss her", Nick told Monroe. And it was what he felt. His heart still was hurting and he wished Juliette back on his side. But he knew it was the best what he'd done.  
"She told you, she wanted to stay with her mother", Nick asked finally, after he couldn't stand the silence in the room anymore. "Are you sure?"  
"I know what she'd told me. She wanted to go to her mother for a while."  
Nick sighed and rubbed his eyes.  
"Why?" Monroe asked. "Why you want to know that?"  
Nick hesitated for a moment but finally gave in. "Because I got a call yesterday on my way back here", he said.  
"From Juliette?" Monroe asked, a smile on his lips. "See? What I've told you?"  
Nick shook his head. "From a doctor in Olympia", he answered.  
Monroes eyes widened. "What? Why?"  
"Juliette was involved into an accident with her car. And … the doctor said to me her mental state isn't the best", Nick explained. "He needed permission to watch her. And her mother isn't in Seattle. Seems like she's on vacation."  
Monroe stared at him. "But … why this doctor called you?" he finally asked.  
"Because it's still written in Juliette's file, also in my file is her name", Nick answered. "I will change that but …" He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before he asked: "Did she sound sad or melancholy to you?"  
"Do you think Juliette tried a suicide?" Monroe asked. "Heck, no! She sounded normal for a person who just broke up with her boyfriend and was lost by the new loveinterest!"  
"Are you sure?" Nick asked.  
"Sure I'm sure!" Monroe shook his head again. "How you are able to think this way? Juliette is much too smart for this!"  
"I know. But I also know she isn't herself right now. And when you are not yourself everything is possible!"  
Monroe still shook his head. "This is … unbelievable", he said.  
Nick's cell started to ring.  
"We really should talk about that, Nick", Monroe insisted.  
"I know." Nick looked at the screen to find Sergeant Wu's name there. "It's the precinct. I have to take this", he said.  
Monroe lifted his hands in an open gesture showing his helpness.  
"Burkhardt", Nick said into his cell after he accepted the call.  
"You're a lucky star, you know?" Wu answered. "Now you can choose. Behind one of the three gates you will find a special prize, the other two will lead to more work. Which one?"  
Nick blinkened. "I'm sorry?"  
"Geez, why you guys never get my jokes, huh? Anyway. Two new abductions for you. Aaand … the Mayor's Godchild was found sedated but unharmed tonight near Hobo's."  
Nick's eyes widened. "What?" he asked.  
"As I've said. Mayor's Godchild back on this earth. She was found near Hobo's restaurant on 3rd Avenue. She's in good state besides that someone tranquilezed her. Plus, there were two new abductions, one down at the Waterfront, one in Hoyt Street."  
Nick took a deep breath. "You are kidding me!"  
Monroe eyed him suspiciously but kept silent.  
"Seriously not. Your choice. Where you want to go?" Wu said.  
The Godchild back meant probably his carreer wouldn't be any longer on the stake, because probably the Mayer would lost his interest in this case. Would mean he wouldn't have to deal with a crazy Hundjäger. Would mean … he could take a day off to drive to Olympia and watch after Juliette.  
"You are still there or on your way?" Wu asked.  
Nick nodded. "I'm on my way", he said.  
"Which one? Just to make sure I will send the press on the right way?"  
Nick smirked. "Godchild … is she at a hospital?"  
"Yup. She's at the Woodland Park", Wu answered. "Which crime scenes you would prefer then?"  
"Tell the forensics they should try their best on every location!" Nick jumped from his chair, slowed down after he saw Monroe's startled look at him. "They should pull everything there upside down."  
"Will tell them. By the way, did you get the report from yesterday's abduction?"  
Nick reached for his coffeepot but stopped in the middle of the movement. "No", he said. "Why?"  
"Because the blood wasn't blood but rost. Thought that would be for interest for you. See you later."  
"See you there."  
Rost? Why there was rost on the ground near the crime scene to Langston's abduction.  
"Everything's okay?" Monroe asked.  
Nick shallowed his coffee before he answered. "The abductions, remember?"  
Monroe nodded.  
"One of the vics is found, alive but drugged. And two new cases", Nick said.  
Monroe's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" he asked.  
"I am. And I have to go", Nick decided. Now it came to his mind that he forgot to ask Wu for Bruckner. Damned!  
"Wait! Nick, wait!" Monroe said and stood up to follow him. "We should talk about Juliette."  
Nick got his jacket from the hook and moved around. "We will. Later", he said.  
"What about the rest of your stuff?" Monroe asked.  
Nick shrugged. "Dunno. Get it if you have the time. The key to Juliette's is in the bedside-table."  
"Will do", Monroe said. "And … Olympia you said?"  
"Olympia, yes. Memorial Hospital in Olympia. I talked to a Doctor Morgan. Sorry, have to run now." Nick opened the door and left the house.  
Monroe looked thoughtful to the door.  
Maybe he should make a call …


	6. The Mayor's Godchild

Someone, hopeful Renard's fill-in, had put some uniforms into the hospital, watching the door to the vic's room. Nick was thankful for that, no matter how … not too thrilled looking nurses are running up and down the floor. On his way Nick had tried to call the doctor on duty but that one was already busy again. So Nick's best hope now was to get someone he could talk to before disturbing the young woman.  
When he was close to the door this door opened and a nurse came out of the room, a worried look back when she closed the door again, a white sheet carrying in her arms.  
"Excuse me", Nick said and showed her his badge. "How is she?"  
"She's just fallen asleep – finally", the nurse told him, then she looked at him frowning. "Detective right?"  
"Burkhardt", Nick introduced himself. "I'm working on this case."  
"Well, maybe you should investigate instead of disturbing", the nurse implied.  
Nick sighed. "It is sometimes necessary to disturb to find out what exactly happened."  
The nurse looked again at him, shrugged then. "It's not my decision. You first should talk to the doctor."  
"Who's in charge?" Nick smiled.  
"This is Doctor Carter. But he already had a visitor from the police", the nurse told him. "Maybe you should try his office and let this poor woman rest."  
Not the best idea Nick had to say but he kept his mouth shut. He really should talk first to the doctor to find out about the vic's condition. But as he hadn't find out WHO this doctor was before the nurse told him he simply couldn't.  
"Thanks!" Nick said with a smile and turned around – just to stop and look back to the nurse. "Did she say anything?" he asked.  
"She's not saying anything, she's screaming everything", the woman explained. "Whatever happened to that poor girl, it creeped the hell out of her!"  
Not that much helpful but …  
Nick nodded. "Thanks again."  
With that he wanted to search the doctor's office to talk to this Dr. Carter but just when he started to walk down the floor again, he stopped after he recognized who was coming up to him.  
"Lieutenant", Nick greeted and nodded in her direction.  
LeFleur stopped at his side, looking at him from his feet to his eyes. "What are you doing here, Burkhardt?" she asked.  
Not good, a little voice in Nick's head told him.  
"Ahm … I was just informed that one vic was found alive and wanted to interview her ..." Nick closed his mouth in the middle of his explanation. Only one look in LeFleur's face told him that he did a mistake with coming here.  
"Why you are not looking at the crime scenes? Aren't there enough now for you?" LeFleur said sharply.  
Nick took a deep breath, his eyes moved aside not to watch into her eyes anymore.  
"Do you really think you should do an interview with a young and terrified woman, Detective? Right now? After what happened to her? You, a man?"  
Nick closed his eyes.  
This was embarracing! It wasn't the first time he had to interview a female vic. And seriously not the first possible sexual assault he was working on.  
"You look after the crime scenes", LeFleur ordered, "I will talk to her. She's not in the condition to stand a man right now."  
Nick opened his lips for a snarky responce but decided not to say what was burning on his tongue. He already was in too much trouble right now.  
"Besides … where's your new partner?" LeFleur asked him.  
Nick sighed. "I don't know", he answered.  
"Why?"  
Nick shrugged. "Because I don't know. I don't have his number and he didn't show up at the precinct or was asking for mine. As I've already told you yesterday, Detective Bruckner is not interested in this partnership."  
LeFleur stepped closer, one finger lifted. "And I told you you two will work together or you can give back you badges. I thought I was clear about that!"  
"You were", Nick nodded.  
Damned, this was a two-way-street. True, Bruckner didn't ask for his number, but he also didn't ask for Bruckner's number.  
"I will tell you what you will do now, Detective Burkhardt", LeFleur continued."„You will go to the crime scenes and keep there looking for evidence. And you will start a search for Bruckner. I cannot tollerate your behaviour, so you will come to my office when I'm back at the precinct. I think it's time to put your head back on your shoulders again!"  
"I'm not ..."  
"You are responsible! I told you so!" LeFleur interrupted him. "So you have two options: First, you can give back your badge. Second you will do what I told you and team up with Bruckner AS I've told you too."  
Nick bit his lips but nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I understand."  
"I hope so!" LeFleur turned around and walked down the floor to the victim's room.  
Nick's cheekbones began to work while he was watching her. This really began to piss him off, no matter if he wanted to be angry or not. LeFleur really was a … hell of a boss.  
It was better to calm down, Nick decided, heading back to the hospital's entrance …

***

Again Monroe was standing at the top of the stairs to the attic, looking at his guest-room. Again he felt bad, no matter if Nick had – more or less – given the permission to get the key to Juliette's.  
First Monroe had tried to make some calls, first he called the Memorial Hospital in Olympia – well, he'd tried to call but his call didn't get through. A little mysterious but … his telephone-system wasn't completely up to date, maybe they had some damages after the first storms of this fall/winter-season. He would try it again later.  
Then he tried to call the Dimmel's but again, no one took the call. But this time Monroe was lucky, the Dimmel's had a mailbox and he left a note for them in hope they would answer.  
Again he looked around. There still were all those boxes. Nothing changed, only the bed wasn't made – a mental note about the „how to live together nicely" but Monroe wasn't sure if he would remind Nick on that. Not now, his friend was busy.  
With a sigh Monroe sat down at the side of the bed and opened the drawer.  
Socks, socks, and, what a surprise, socks.  
Monroe put some the socks out of the drawer and started to shuffle the rest to the side to get a better look at the bottom.  
There it was!  
Monroe touched the key with a finger to move it and finally got it out of the drawer. Than he frowned.  
Wait a minute!  
He looked at the key in his palm, wondering if this one really was the one he searched for. He never noticed this one on Nick's key-ring before. It was old and small, ways too small for an usual lock. And the key-head looked … weird.  
Monroe blinkened and looked at the decorations more closely.  
What the hell … ? This never was the key to Juliette's! Never!  
Thinking this Monroe looked again in the drawer to find another key, on a seperate ring. A modern key to a modern lock.  
Monroe looked down at the two keys, this strange old looking one and the new one.  
What Nick had brought to his house? What this key was for? Why it was here?  
Monroe got the other key out of the drawer. Yep, that was the familiar looking key he knew from Nick's key-ring. But what was this other one for?  
Monroe looked at the old key closely. Those decorations looked weird to him, not like real decorations.  
What the hell this key was for?  
His cell began to ring and made him jump.  
Monroe put both keys into the pocket of his jeans, grabbing his cell out. Local number, kinda familiar but …  
Mornoe accepted the call. Maybe a new costumer for his clock-repair-service?  
"Yep?" he asked. "Monroe here."  
"Monroe? It's me, Harry Dimmel", a voice answered.  
Oh!  
Monroe closed the drawer and stood up from the bedside. "Harry, good to hear you!"  
"Yeah, well, sorry if I missed some fundraiser. We are kind of busy right now", Dimmel ansered, stopped then. "It IS because of the church, right?"  
Monroe realized that he himself wasn't there for a couple of time now. Well, to be true, his lesson in Seelenguters was enough for him to aviod the regular church …  
"Uhm, no", he said. "I'm sorry if I interrupt something. You don't sound too good, man ..."  
"Yeah, well, you know ..." A hard and loud sigh came from the other end of the line. "You know my daughter, right? Claire."  
"Yeah, for sure I know her!" Monroe sat down on the bed again. "You don't tell me something happened to her, do you?"  
"She's missing", Dimmel told him. "She's gone and we don't know where she is. We are waiting all day long for any information the police can give to us."  
"Oh man, that's bad!" Monroe said."Well, if I can help you somehow, let me know. You know I know a cop, right? Maybe he can manage something."  
"We already have an insider, but thanks."  
Monroe paused. "An insider?" he asked.  
"Yes, Mary's brother just moved over from Chicago. He 's a detective, you know?"  
"Is his last name Bruckner?" Monroe asked.  
"Yeah, did you hear about him? He's on this case."  
This explains a lot!  
Nick was getting better in this Wesen-things, Monroe realized. He almost had put the right pieces together. Only wasn't confident enough to see this as a fact.  
Realizing this it sent a shiver down Monroe's spine.  
"Well, I think you answered my question, man", he said."  
"I wanted to ask for a Bruckner who's also a cop. As my new ro..." He paused and took a deep breath.  
"Yes?" Dimmel asked.  
"Well, you know about the Grimm, right?"  
"Who not?"  
Well, there still were a few Monroe realized.  
"The Grimm is now my roomate", he said.  
"What? Man, watch your head!"  
"That's not the problem. Nick is reformed."  
"I've heard that", Dimmel said. "Is he? Really?"  
"Yup, he's my friend that's why he's now staying with me. And he's on the same case as your brother-in-law. In fact, Nick told me yesterday, he was teamed up with a Hundjäger called Bruckner."  
"I haven't seen Sean in two or three days", Dimmel said. "But I will talk to him when I will meet him. He's all new so he don't know how Portland is running."  
"I thought so."  
A second, female voice was audible in the background but Monroe didn't get what she was talking about.  
"Okay, that it was, Monroe? Mary will go back to the precinct in hope they will have some news."  
"That it was. Thanks. And I will pray for Claire."  
"I appreciate that."  
"And … please tell your brother-in-law it isn't necessary to eat the Grimm in town if this Grimm in town isn't after him but trying to do the job."  
"Will do."  
The call ended.  
Monroe frowned again.  
The world was a small village. But it was good to have at least someone who could tell this Bruckner the truth.  
Brought him back to his original plan. He had some work to do, Monroe decided, leaving the attic.

***

Sean Bruckner watched that house on the other side of the park. The Grimm was staying here. He followed Burkhardt last night and confirmed it with a call back to the precinct.  
The whole area had a Blutbad-stank, but that was impossible! A Grimm would never let a Blutbad live. Heck, he wouldn't let any Wesen live! A Grimm would kill every Wesen.  
And that's what why Bruckner was here. He wanted to take a closer look onto the Grimm. Maybe he was the one responsible for his missing niece. It could be. With a Grimm everything was possible.  
Bruckner noticed some movement in the house after the Grimm was gone, so he lived together with someone. And this someone was still inside the house.  
Bruckner had start a research for Nick yesterday and found out that Nick and Juliette just broke up and Nick moved in here. Maybe that old relationship broke up because of a new loveinterest? No one seemed to know. All everyone had told him was, that Juliette had lost her memory of Nick and their relationship was pending during the last couple of months. It was possible that Nick had found another woman and moved in with her as some rumours told him about a mysterious third person was involved into this desaster.  
This Blutbad-stink confused him, Bruckner decided. Maybe this Grimm was corrupt and got paid to letting Wesen alive? Maybe he should take a deeper look into that too …  
The front-door opened and a tall man came out of the Grimm-house.  
That man …  
Bruckner frowned and focused on that stranger.  
Wait a minute, wasn't that guy member of the same church as his sister and her family? If so he was Wesen. Wesen? Living together with a Grimm?  
The man went to an old VWBeetle and drove up the street.  
Bruckner took a deep breath after he was sure that guy was gone for a while before he came out of the park and crossed the street to the Grimm's house.  
He would find out what the hell was going on here!  
With that, he used his picklock to open the front-door. And the next second … the stink of Grimm and Blutbad was overwhelming …


	7. First Lead

Finally back at the precinct Nick was busy with the reports. After he started his PC he'd found some huge emails from the other involved precincts he now was going through.  
The first that came to his mind was that there was nothing that tied the victims together. No matter which gender, age, confession, height, weight, no similarities in their looks. The only thing he could find is that there was a slide majority dark-haired. Besides that … nothing about the victims themselves.  
Nick went through the crime-scenes. Again nothing. The crime-scenes were all over the city, from Beaverton to the Harbor.  
Nick looked through the crime-scene-photos. At first he didn't see anything. Three of the vics vanished on open streets, four in dead-ends, one in the basement of the house where he lived, two kids in the backyard of their parents' homes, two in small alleys, one from a store-yard and one in front of a restaurant.  
Nick looked at the photos on his computer screen, searching something he couldn't find … or did he?  
He clicked to print out the photos from the crime-scenes before he opened the forensic-files. And there … he found something:  
Rost. Again! Every crime-scene had this drops of rost. Their number was variable but everywhere this rost.  
Nick stood up to get his prints.  
Maybe …  
He put the photos on the empty desk opposite to his own and stepped back from the desk to take an overview.  
"Hey Nick", Wu greeted him from behind and made him jump a little. "Are you alright?" The Sergeant said.  
Nick gave him a look. "Maybe next time you should warn before trying to surprise me. What do you have for me?"  
"Amy send this to you. The results of the blood- and other samples of the lucky vic", Wu explained handing a file over to him. "You found something?"  
Nick opened the file and took a look.  
No sign for a sexual assault, good. No usual drugs in her system, also good. But there was something, sounded familiar to him.  
"Jay ... ?" he whispered, frowning.  
The Mayor's Godchild WAS drugged when she was found. But this drug was only working for Wesen. The Mayor's Godchild a Wesen?  
"Nick?" Wu asked.  
"Yeah, I think I found something." Nick answered, still thinking about the drug-result.  
Jay worked only on Wesen, it had no effect on humans. So she was a Wesen. And whoever took her knew about this and choosed that drug to sedate her, no one could arrest him for.  
Another Wesen? But … why?  
Wu stepped to the desk, looking at the prints. "And?" he asked.  
"Look here", Nick ordered, pointing on one photo. "And here. Here and here." One after the other he showed one point, all similar on every picture.  
"Nick, we are seriously talking about gully covers?" Wu asked. "Maybe the breakup with Juliette stressed you more then you think it would?"  
"I'm not stressed", Nick answered. "It's, besides the rost on every crime scene the only similarity. Every crime scene had an entry to the wastewater-tunnels underneath the city."  
Wu looked at him, began to blink after a short time."Can you repeat that?"  
Nick shrugged again. "Sure, the gully covers are the ..."  
"Nonono! The tunnels!" Wu interrupted him.  
"What's about the tunnels?" Nick looked again at the photos. "We have to check out about the weather. If those tunnels were floated I'm wrong", he decided.  
"You really don't know, do you?" Wu asked with a smile.  
Nick blinkened. "About what?"  
"The tunnels", Wu answered.  
Nick sighed pointing again at the photos. "I just found out about the tunnels."  
Wu shook his head, waved him to follow and went around the tables to Nick's work-station. "You never heard of Shanghaiing, right?"  
Nick followed him the other way around and watched him, opening a browser and typing something. "Shanghai? What's about that?"  
"Shanghai-ing", Wu corrected. "That was a term back in the time of the old Portland. It was a specifism about kidnapping people to make them work on ships."  
Nick thought about that for a moment. "I think I read something about that when I was a kid", he finally decided. "But what that has to do with the wastewater-tunnels?"  
A website was loading and Wu leaned back on Nick's chair, a big grin on his face. "Underneath Portland there's a sort of second, dark city. Those Shanghai-guys stored the kidnapped people down there. But there's a lot of other rooms for other services. Nowadays it's a tourist-attraction." Wu explained then pointed to the screen. "Have a look."  
Nick leaned from the side into the monitor and found there a website about "Taking a tour underground Portland". Some other Links told him about different types of guided tours through those tunnels Wu mentioned.  
"Are you kidding me? Haunted tours?" Nick stood up again, looking down at Wu. "Do you believe in ghosts?"  
"I do", Wu answered without hesitation. "That's why I have this shrine in my apartment. It's all about the ancestors."  
Nick began to grin. "Yeah, for sure!"  
"The point is, there are rumours those tunnels were originally planned like a huge spiderweb all beneath Portland", Wu said. "But as there was so much changed and those tunnels were hidden for the public there's no one who knows for sure. There's no existing map of the tunnels, there are only some entries, and not all of those rooms beneath the basements are accessible. Some parts of the system are lost forever."  
Nick again began to think. "A perfect hideout", he said thoughtful.  
Wu nodded. "And as there's no one who really knows all those tunnels ..."  
Nick leaned with his backside against the desk, folding his arms before his chest he changed looks with Wu. "How old are those tunnels?" he asked.  
"No one knows for sure", Wu explained. "Some of them could be originally built back in the 19th century when shanghaiing was daily work."  
"Could explain the rost we'd found at every crime scenes", Nick said.  
"Could expain why we never found a hair of the victims", Wu continued. "It IS a second city down there."  
"You were there?" Nick asked.  
Wu nodded. "Once, a while ago. I took the Haunted Tour in Chinatown." He leaned back, thinking about that for a while. "And you know what?" he finally asked.  
Nick shook his head. "Nope, what?"  
"Hobo's", Wu said.  
"Yup?"  
"That's the best known entry to the tunnels."  
Nick looked at his uniformed colleague. "Are you sure?"  
"Absolutely", Wu nodded. "As I've said, I took a tour. And this tour started at Hobo's."  
Nick took a deep breath.  
That could mean this kidnapper made a mistake – for the first time! Whoever was behind this kidnapping threw the Mayor's Godchild out of the tunnel and left her near an entrance. And that could mean, they had a lead!  
Nick stood straight when he saw LeFleur entering the office. "You'll come with me?" he asked Wu and began to move. "Lieutenant?"  
LeFleur stopped and moved around. Her face hardened when she noticed him. "That's great, you are learning", she said.  
Nick paused in the middle of movement, before he got what she was talking about. Damned! He'd completely forgotten about that  
"Yeah, but … we've something", Nick said.  
LeFleur frowned. "We?" She looked at Wu. "You are including this We, Sergeant?"  
"I am", Wu nodded.  
Nick looked at her, hoping she would let the not so good topic alone in favour of the case. Damned, she had to! This was probably about the lifes of citizens!  
"Come with me", LeFleur decided with a sigh and headed over to Renard's office. "Close the door", she ordered after they entered.  
Wu, who was the last one in their small line, closed the door while LeFleur took her seat on the other side of the table  
"What breakthru you will explain to me?" she asked, folding her hands in front of her on the top of the desk.  
"The tunnels", Nick explained. "There are tunnels underneath Portland. You knew about?"  
LeFleur shrugged. "Could be. And?"  
"The escaped vic was found near an entrance to those tunnels", Wu said.  
Nick nodded. "And every other vic was kidnapped near a possible entrance."  
LeFleur leaned back on her chair, eyeing them thoughtful. "And you want me to do what now?"  
"We need a search-party to search those tunnels", Wu said.  
"Do we?" Her eyebrows lifted. "On what reasons?"  
Nick thought for a second he would be caught in the middle of a nightmare. Suddenly he missed Renard. The captain always found a reason to get what they needed. No matter what, and right now the question came to Nick's mind what those warrants had probably cost Renard.  
"We have to find those victims", he said.  
"And you want to search an entire city to get them back?" LeFleur asked, shook her head then. "No way, detective. I will never get a warrant for that."  
"Renard would have find a way", Wu insisted.  
"I'm not Renard", LeFleur said sharply. "Besides … would you now please leave us alone, Sergeant?"  
Nick closed his eyes.  
He knew what was coming now for him. Damned! He should have stayed in bed, trying a sick-leave or something …  
Wu left the office, letting them alone.  
"I wanted to show you something", LeFleur said to Nick.  
"What?"  
She smiled a bitter smile and opened a drawer to get a file out of it. Placing it on the top of the desk she looked up again. "You know what this is?" she asked.  
Nick stepped closer, looking at the top-page. "It's my personnel file", he answered then.  
LeFleur nodded. "To be correct, that's your file until your aunt died last year", she said, pulling a paper-pile out of the still opened drawer and placing it on the file. "That's your file since your aunt died last year."  
Nick bit his lips. His file was growing fast until he became a Grimm he noticed.  
"Can you explain this to me?" LeFleur asked. "There never was any question about your duty before. You were an example for every cop in this city. But during the last couple of months suspects claiming charges against you. You are letting things out of the files, evidence was lost while you were in one room with it. I don't have to mention your little twist with the FBI, right?"  
"I'm still solving the cases", Nick said. But he knew pretty well how lame this sounded.  
"You are, but I better don't ask about the how, right?" LeFleur shook her head again. "When you came here to become a detective your former captain let a notice into your file. Did you know about that?"  
Nick shook his head, keeping quiet in hope this would end without him leaving his badge behind.  
LeFleur opened his file again, flipping some pages until she found what she was looking for:  
"Nicholas Burkhardt is on the best way to get in charge one day himself. He's not planing this to but most likely he will become Captain with his own precinct somewhere in the future."  
Wow! This he didn't know before.  
LeFleur closed his file, leaning back again she watched him. "What happened?" she asked.  
Nick shrugged. "Nothing."  
"I don't believe you. You are hiding something, and this isn't good for your carreer."  
"I'm not planing anything for my carreer. I'm still closing cases."  
"You do, but that's not the question. This is about the how you close the cases. And I cannot accept this how", LeFleur told him. "I will give you one last chance. Don't screw that!"  
Nick took another deep breath and reminded himself to focus not to become angry.  
"I think I've done a big step into the right direction", he told her. "You are the one holding me down."  
"Because I cannot afford every policeman in Portland to search some old tunnels! Not without hard evidence, sorry" LeFleur said.  
What Wu and he had told her? They had enough evidence to search at least the part of the tunnels near Hobo's where the last vic was found!  
"You have enough for a warrant on Hobo's", Nick told her.  
"I don't have."  
"Why not? We have those particles of rost, found on every crime scene. Rost as in old metal! Metal how it was used for build the tunnels. The Mayor's Godchild was found directly in front of an entrance of the tunnels. We can put every single victim to such an entrance."  
LeFleur shook her head. "The Mayor's Godchild told me she moved after she was released. She cannot remember where she was before or were she was released. She only know she walked where she heard noises and that was Hobo's. So you have nothing, Detective."  
"She was drugged", Nick explained. "Her memory could be damaged."  
"As far as I know there were no drugs in her system besides a sort of herbs", LeFleur said. "This would be the first time a herb would have such an effect on someone." She frowned. "Or do you know something I don't?"  
Nick hesitated but finally he took another deep breath, leaned towards her his both hands on the top of the desk and nodded. "Maybe she's something special and some herbs have such an effect on her."  
LeFleur shook again her head. "Evidence?"  
"I don't have!"  
"Then this is out of question."  
"We are close, I feel that!" Nick explained desperately.  
"Maybe your feel is wrong. I cannot claim a warrant on an emotion of a labile detective. Sorry, Burkhardt. You better search your new partner before I will bring that up."  
"Why you are not able to give me a little space?" Nick asked.  
"Because I have to explain that to a judge, not you", LeFleur said. "Now … please?" She pointed at the door. "The moment you will find hard evidence I will do everything I can for you. But as long as all I have is your gut-feeling ..."  
Nick bit again his lip but nodded … and left the office feeling like he had lost a battle …

=========================================

Monroe was ready for a lunchbreak when the telephone in the Spice-Shop began to ring.  
"Rosalee's Spice Shop", he said after he took the call. "How we can help you?"  
"Monroe, it's me", the female voice of the attractive Fuchsbau answered.  
Monroe felt how a big grin was growing on his face. "Rosalee!" He said.  
My, he was a lucky guy that he met her! He was such a lucky guy!  
"I only wanted to ask you how's Portland doing", Rosalee said. He could hear her smile through the line, he was sure.  
"Portland is still standing", he said. "How about your aunt?"  
"She's a lot better", Rosalee answered. "A little sad because I want to leave, as my mother is. But … I miss you all there. I hope everything's alright?"  
"We are doing good, really", Monroe answered.  
She would be back soon! He still couldn't believe it. He so missed her! All the calls they had during the last weeks couldn't help him to get over it. He missed Rosalee's smile, her smell, her warm, brown eyes, yeah, he missed her sweaters, her humour, that little light in her eyes, right before she began to kid. But he also missed how serious, yes, aggressive she could be when the situation was getting serious. She saved his life, and she shared so much with him. To let her go all these weeks ago nearly broke his heart.  
"And Nick is calming down?" Rosalee interrupted his thoughts. "Did the recipe help?"  
A little secret he and Rosalee shared. To calm Nick down he brew a little potion that he used on Nick's morning coffee. It wasn't hard stuff because he himself drank from the same coffee, but it obviciously helped. And since Nick sipped the first cup of this special coffee he calmed down, wasn't that angry Grimm anymore but more able to think in the right ways, to do the right things.  
"He's better now", Monroe told Rosalee. "But … we should take care of Juliette."  
"I thought the situation with her was also getting better after she gave in to her emotions", Rosalee asked.  
Monroe sighed.  
If life only would be this easy …  
"I fear not", he said. "Nick got a call yesterday from a hospital. Maybe Juliette tried something stupid."  
"WHAT?" Rosalee had to take some breath before she calmed down again. "How is she?"she asked.  
"She's still in the hospital. Nick gave those doctors his permission to watch over her."  
"Monroe!" Rosalee screamed indignantly.  
"I know, I know", Monroe said. "You know the funny thing is, I just talk to Juliette and she said to me she wanted to stay for a while with her mother. Later she had this … whatever it was."  
"Did she sounded stressed?" Rosalee asked.  
"No", Monroe answered. "That's the funny thing. I couldn't believe it when Nick told me about what happened. True, Juliette didn't sound too lucky, I think no one involved is too lucky right now. But she seemed determinded not depressed, you know?"  
Rosalee kept silent, that sort of silence that Monroe told, she was thinking about the situation. Finally she asked: "What about the other man?"  
"Nick's boss? He's gone. Juliette told me he wanted to search a solution, Nick said he simply had vanished after the night they two met." Monroe explained. "Do you think it has something to do with him?"  
"It could be. Nick was the one not directly involved into that spell but he ended the situation", Rosalee said. "But Juliette and the other one … they were both affected and maybe complete consumed by the spell. I told you I have to look at them myself to can tell at least if there's a cure or not."  
"Yeah, but then it all exploded and I really feared for Nick", Monroe sighed. "What we can do now?"  
"I have to ..." Rosalee stopped, again falling back in this heavy silence.  
Monroe took a deep breath.  
He really wished, he could have been more help for his both friends.  
"I'm coming back!" Rosalee decided.  
"What? Yes, next week", Monroe said.  
"No, now!"  
Monroe closed his eyes. "Wait a minute. Didn't you tell me the earlist date would be next week?"  
"My Mom can watch after my aunt", Rosalee said. "My Mom wanted to have me around a little longer. But this doesn't sound like I could stay away any longer. I'm coming back. I only have to check out when the next bus will drive to Portland. I will call you then and tell you when I'm at the station. Can you give me a ride? And maybe you should bring Nick with you."  
This was … Monroe didn't know if he should be jealous or only lucky.  
"I … will do", he finally said.  
"Thank you!" Rosalee hung up.  
Monroe stood there for another minute before he put the receiver back on the cradle.


	8. Down in the Tunnels

A/N: I never was to Portland, all information I took from the allmighty ;) Internet. So, I'm sure there are, besides the cruel English, some mistakes and I I the few of you reading this will forgive me. As I have some problems with my laptop (it's dieing to be correct) I don't know if I can continue the fanfic soon. I will do my best as I know this ARE two nasty cliffhanger. Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed for me :)

 

After his official duty ended Nick decided to give it a try to drive to Hobo's, looking if he probably would find a little inofficial help.  
He never was at that restaurant/bar before, and right now he was wondering why, because this seemed to be a place Juliette could have fallen for. Maybe … Nick reminded himself not to think in this way when he entered the building.  
Nice interior, the bar looked interesting, there was tasty smell from the kitchen and a few guests in the restaurant eating an early dinner.  
Nick didn't have to show his badge to be directed to the manager, who was working at his office in the back of the building. Those working here seemed have await a cop showing up, nobody was too surprised or shocked to see him.  
The manager finally, a Mister Davidson, stood up from his work and offered Nick a seat.  
"How I can help you?" Davidson asked.  
Nick was still a little confused. Usually especially people in catering or hotel industry reacted different from seeing a cop in their establishments. Usually they tried their best to hide the police for every guest on the property. Nick had heard some really weird storys about other cities and the behaviour there. In Portland they only barely had problems but that his badge was handled so freely was really rare.  
"I wanted to ask you for a favour, actually", he finally said. "You remember that young woman that was found on the street near your entrance last night?"  
Davidson nodded. "Yes, surely. I was the one called 9-1-1. And I was wondering why no one showed up to interview me or my employees", he answered. "Well, I hope that girl is fine? She didn't look too good last night."  
Nick frowned. No one was here after the ambulance picked the woman up? No one had asked questions about what happened?  
He wasn't here this morning, he choosed the other two crime-scenes instead of looking at this one. If Wu hadn't put his finger especially on this place maybe it would have been lost completely …  
"She's a lot better", Nick said. "But … here showed up nobody? You sure?"  
"Absolutely!" Davidson said. "Me and my employees waited the entire morning in hope to help you guys but no one showed up."  
Maybe the statement of the vic, Nick decided. LeFleur told him she said she wasn't released here.  
"Did you see where she was coming from?" he asked.  
"She and the two guys who let her stay in the middle of the street came right out of our basement, Detective", Davidson told him. "That's why we were wondering where you guys were."  
Nick blinkened with bright eyes. "Out of your basement?" he asked.  
Davidson nodded. "Yes. What the hell did she tell you? She and her escort came through the lounge in the middle of the weekly concert. We really had a hard time to explain this to the regular guests. Some of them were really scared. No wonder! That girl looked like a ghost and stumbled through the lounge as she was on drugs."  
Nick took a deep breath and pulled his notebook out of his jacket. "Well, maybe that's because she told us she was released somewhere else and came here on her own", he said. But this explanation was wrong.  
Something was going on here, and right now the place where all this weird things concentrate were here, in the basement.  
"She was like drunken, she wasn't able to walk on her own. That's why we picked her up from the street where those two guys left her. No need of an accident right in front of our establishment."  
That sounded more familiar Nick decided. "Can you describe those two guys?" he asked.  
Davidson sighed. "I had a hard time to calm the guests down. But I think Maguerite had a pretty good look at them", he answered. "It's her day off tonight. But I can give you her number and address."  
"That would be great, thank you", Nick smiled. "Anything else?"  
Davidson looked at him. "No, don't think so."  
"Where those guys did go? Did they return?" Nick asked.  
"No, after they let that girl on the street they ran off, I think deeper into Old Town, maybe Pearl District."  
Nick made a note.  
Damned, he needed the forensics here, now! And maybe …  
"You wanted to ask for a favour", Davidson said. "What is it?"  
"I wanted to take a look into your basement. That's the favour", Nick said.  
"No problem. We don't have anything to hide."  
A knocking at the door let Nick move around. And he was really stunned after that door opened and Wu was looking into the office.  
"Oh, good, you are already here", the Sergeant said. "I just wanted to tell you I brought a search-party and the forensics with me."  
Nick blinkened and needed a moment before he was able to react. "That's great. I appreciate your fast work, Sergeant."  
"Always on duty", Wu smiled and nodded in Davidson's direction. "Are we allowed to search the basement?"  
"You are", Davidson said, handing over a sheet of paper with a name, phone and cell-number plus address. "That's Marguerite's." He said.  
"Thank you." Nick stood up.  
This turned out to be a very interesting he decided while he was following Davidson. Handing the paper to Wu Nick whispered: "What is going on here? We don't have a permission!"  
"Sure we have", Wu answered, "we are a bunch of concerned citizens plus those guys here gave us the Wild Card to search."  
"Is Tara with you?" Nick asked.  
Wu sent him a look. "Sure she is!"  
"Then she should drive over to this Marguerite Keene and taking her statement", Nick decided.  
"Why Tara?" Wu asked.  
"Because she's painting in her spare time. This Marguerite got a good look at those guys who brought the Mayor's Godchild back from underground", Nick answered.  
A smile curled his lips up when he saw half of the daily shift waiting for him and Wu, plus two of the forensic-guys. His heart warmed up and he felt touched and thankful for all the help from his colleagues …

==========

When Monroe came home the lights in the living-room were shining though the big window. Could mean Nick was at home.  
Monroe sighed reliefed, grabbed the bag from his favourite Chinese Restaurant and pulled himself out of his VWBeetle. He looked down to the street and frowned when he didn't find Nick's truck around. But maybe the Grimm parked in one of the side-alleys or, most unlikely because then he would have to give him a ride tomorrow, he left his truck at the precinct.  
Anyway, Monroe decided, locking the driver's door before he headed to his house. Nick at home would mean to hit two flies at once because Monroe still waited for Rosalee to call him back.  
The front-door wasn't locked but closed.  
Damned, he really had to talk to Nick about some things …  
Monroe entered his home and closed and locked the door. "I'm at home. And I've brought our dinner with me!" He yelled while he turned around.  
The bag with the food slipped from his hand when he noticed what happened to his living-room.  
"What the hell … ?" Monroe's eyes widened.  
The flatscreen layed on the floor, the couch was turned upside down, the shelves were torned apart. Heck, the clocks hanging at his walls were laying all over the floor.  
Monroe was angry. "What the hell happened here?" he asked with a dark and throaty voice. He woged into the Blutbad and growled, sniffed then.  
"Hundjäger!" This came out of this mouth like a swear.  
Damned Hundjägers! As they didn't had enough trouble with the four Nick killed in that parking lot.  
Monroe couldn't believe it. Why a Hundjäger should break into his house and torn it apart? Why should anyone …  
"Hands where I can see them, Blutbad!" An unfamiliar voice ordered in his back.  
Monroe turned around, his eyes glowing in dark red, still growling and ready to fight.  
A Hundjäger stood in front of the stair next to the front-door, a gun in his hand.  
"I said hands up, Blutbad!" The Hundjäger ordered.  
"Bruckner?" Monroe asked, wogeing back into his human form.  
"I'm the one, asking questions, Blutbad", the Hundjäger said to him.  
Monroe opened his mouth again, began to shook his head. "We are on the same side, man!" He declared.  
"Seriously not!" The Hundjäger said hard. "I'm not on one side with a Blutbad and a corrupt Grimm. What you have to pay to him for letting you alive, he?"  
"Are you serious? Man, Nick and I are friends!"  
"A Blutbad as a friend of a Grimm? Do you think I'm stupid?"  
"No, but I think you make a mistake. Call your sister, man. I know her and I'm sorry for the loss her family has to fight."  
"Don't talk that way!" The Hundjäger warned, lifting the gun aiming a point between Monroe's eyes.  
"I'm a Wider, just like your sister and her family. Like you, man!" Monroe said.  
"I don't believe a Blutbad!"  
"Then believe her! I'll call her for you?" Monroe wanted to pull his cell out of his pocket but the Hundjäger went in front of him.  
"I said don't move!"  
The barrel of the gun was the last Monroe saw before the weapon hit his head …

==========

Nick pressed the buttom and turned his flashlight into the small entrance. Like a sharp, white finger the light cut into the darkness but finally lost the battle against the allmighty night beneath the basement of Hobo's.  
"Damned!" Nick whispered trying to focus on what he thought he would see on the far other side of the wooden barreer.  
"Probably we should wait", Wu said to him. "This manager just called the guides. They know the tunnels down here the best."  
"I know." Nick lowered his flashlight and sighed.  
Waiting made him nervous. He could feel they were close to the kidnappers. The longer they had to wait, the more time those bad guys had to get rid off any evidence – and probably to vanish.  
On the other side, the forensics were searching the basement and the rest of his volunteers were busy with checking the tunnels. Unfortunately it seemed that there were much more tunnels then anyone had expected, so finally Nick and Wu were on their own down here.  
"How did you call this?" Nick asked.  
"This was a sort of … ahm … brothel", Wu answered. "Don't know where that tunnel is leading to. I mean, they closed it with the note it's not safe. So I don't think it's an usual tour-target."  
"Or those kidnappers had closed this to hide their base", Nick said and pulled his cell out of the pocket. "We need some search-dogs down here."  
"Without wallet? Tell me how!"  
Monroe was the answer but …  
"What do you think you are doing. Down here there's no service." Wu sounded amused.  
"Yeah, I see that." Nick put his cell back into his pocket.  
Damned! If he could get Monroe down here he was sure they would find a lead, anything showing them the direct way to the other vics and probably to the bad guys. But the longer they had to wait …  
Nick grabbed one of the latches closing the entry and pulled on it.  
"What do you think you are … oh!" Wu stared after the latch loosened. "Wow, nice workout, huh?"  
Nick smirked lighting up again his flashlight he leaned towards into the now bigger entrance and took another look.  
Okay, one side of the tunnel was collapsed into a deeper floor, so it was possible the closure was done because of real danger. But …  
Again! There was some movement on the other side of the cave-in.  
"Hello?" Nick yelled into the darkness. "Is there anyone?"  
Somewhere some drops of hopeful water dropped into a puddle, but that was all answer Nick got.  
"This is the Portland Police! Answer me!" he yelled again. Still nothing.  
But he was sure to see something down there. A movement. A shadow moving from one side to the other and back again.  
What the hell ... ?  
"Maybe it's a ghost", Wu suggested. "I mean this area is included into the Haunted Tour."  
Nick sent the Sergeant a look, then … he decided to try his luck and began to climb into the small entrance he just opened up.  
"What are you doing? Nick!" Wu grabbed his arm, trying to hold him back.  
"I'm trying to get a better look at your ghost", Nick said, freeing his arm he stepped backwards.  
"That's not safe!" Wu warned.  
"I'll be careful." Nick said, frowning after he noticed that the Sergeant wanted to follow him. "You stay there and wait for those guides!" he ordered.  
"Someone has to watch your back, Nick. That's dangerous!"  
"I'll be careful, okay?" Nick turned around. Small stones beneath the soles of his shoes cracked loud and made him shiver. Damned, this was loud!  
"Be careful! I don't want to explain to Hank why his partner broke his neck while he was in the hospitel", Wu called.  
"I'll be." Nick lifted his flashlight again to the other end of the tunnel.  
There! Again this movement!  
"This is Portland Police!" Nick called again. "Who's there?"  
He stepped forward, trying to test the ground underneath his shoes. Only some more steps before he would meet the cave-in.  
Again that dark figure moved from one side to the other.  
"Hello?" Nick yelled.  
With his free hand he tried to get hold on the wall of the tunnel while he stepped forward. Then he paused after he heard something.  
"Was that a giggle?" He heard Wu asking.  
And that was what he heard too. A giggle. But this giggling didn't come from the other side of the tunnel.  
Nick lowered his flashlight to the cave-in, trying to figure out where this voice was coming from.  
"Hello?" he called again. "Is someone down there?"  
Another sound, like the rush of wings. Nick lifted his flashlight again.  
"Come back! That's too dangerous!" Wu yelled behind him.  
"One moment", Nick answered.  
The wall on the side of the tunnel shimmered in the light. Water ran down the wall. But there was …  
Nick noticed a dark red fluid also coming out of the wall.  
"I think I've found something!" He yelled over his shoulder. "Here's something. Could be blood!"  
He tipped with one finger into that fluid. It felt different, not really like blood, more like …  
With a crack a part of the ceiling broke loose.  
"NICK!" He heard Wu scream while he reeled backwards, lifting his arms above his head to protect himself. The ground was slippery and let him slip another step backwards. But there wasn't any concrete ground anymore.  
Nick tried to stabilize himself with falling forward but it was too late. He lost the balance and fell backwards into the cave-in.  
"NICK!" His uniformed colleague screamed again, then there was a sharp pain when Nick's head collided with a rock. A moment later he was laying on the ground, nearly unconscious and dizzy.  
Somewhere he heard someone again yelling his name. His head felt so heavy when he tried to lift it up. And then … there were footsteps.  
Nick somewhere managed to lift himself up onto his elbows. Still dizzy he looked into direction the steps were coming from. His flashlight was laying only some steps away and lighted up this tunnel. And there was another person coming up for him.  
Nick blinkened several times before his sight was clear again. He looked up into the face of the other person.  
And for a second everything was clear, oh so clear to him!  
"You?"  
A hard kick on the side of his head let Nick slip completely into darkness …


	9. Changing sides

A/N: A huge THANKS to Merlyn Pyndragon for betaing! I don't envy you for this job and you'd done it pretty great. It's such a relief :).

 

"You can talk to me freely, sis", was the first Monroe heard when he slowly regained his counsciousness. He blinked several times but reminded himself not to move, only listen.  
Bruckner was pacing up and down his living-room. Monroe was lying on his side, behind the upside-down couch so that the Hundjäger couldn't see that he was awake.  
His head hurt.  
"Are you serious? You are trusting a Blutbad?" Bruckner sounded upset and suddenly stopped. "I don't get that! Do you know he's living together with a Grimm? Do you know there's a Grimm … What do you mean with a reformed Grimm? Grimm are Grimm!"  
Well, possibly Grimm would be more threatening when this Grimm had the chance to reveice a diciplined training from another refined Grimm. Nick barely had a three-day lesson including crash-history-lesson from his mother, plus some more or less mysterious advice from his aunt before she died. Monroe, unfortunately, knew too much to not feel for his friend. Well, at the point when Aunt Marie Kessler died, Nick and the Blutbad weren't friends. But Baby-Grimm Nick Burkhardt lost all what his kind needed to survive, except for a trailer full of ancient weapons, poisons, herbs and books. And the books were mostly written in foreign languages Nick wasn't able to understand. In other words, Monroe felt the bitter need to help the new Grimm in town before said new Grimm in town would be killed off by whatever was after him. And to his own surprise, Monroe not only felt a growing friendship, but he also managed to keep Nick alive until his mother had risen from the dead.  
"You trust a Blutbad and you trust a Grimm. I don't know what to say!" Bruckner barked.  
Monroe had a hard time stifling words on his own, but he wanted to clear his mind before preparing for a second round of Wider-Blutbad versus stubborn Hundjäger. Because he surely didn't want to end up with another headache on the floor of his own house.  
"Yes, I know I'm not in Chicago anymore!" Bruckner barked.  
Monroe searched for his cellphone. Better he warn Nick before the Grimm walked straight into the trap like he did. But then Monroe realized Bruckner was talking to his sister via Monroe's iPhone.  
What the hell?  
"I'm here to help you and your family, you hear me?" Bruckner said.  
Damn!  
Monroe stood up from the ground, still feeling a little dizzy, but the headache was fading. Good. Massaging his temples he slowly turned around and second the look Bruckner sent to him.  
"You would be better off listening to her", Monroe told his unwelcomed guest. "Because I can't find words better than your sister's."  
Bruckner stumbled a step back, fumbling to free his weapon, Monroe's white cellphone still held to his ear.  
"You!"  
"Yes, I'm awake, big surprise!" Monroe rolled his eyes. Then his attention moved from Bruckner, who was still stunned to see him back on his feet again, to the big window beside his front door. In the fading daylight, he saw a group of people in black uniform climbing the stairs to his porch.  
"Damn!"  
Monroe moved foward, grabbing Bruckner by his free wrist and turning him around to leave the house through the back door.  
"What's wrong with you?" Bruckner struggled to free himself.  
"Not me. That a SWAT team. And if you didn't call for backup, I'm pretty sure they have nothing favourable in mind", Monroe explained, still pulling on Bruckner's right arm.  
The Hundjäger finally gave in and followed him into the kitchen. And in this kitchen, everything that been upside was now turned downside. All counter doors were opened, their contents strewn about like discarded rubbish and the big butcher's stall in the middle of the room was lying on its side. How the heck did that guy manage to make it fall? The inside of most closets were now decorating the floor – well, without being decoration. Flour, tea, coffee (his costly roast! Monroe wanted to wince). The fridge stood open wide, Nick's six-pack and Monroe's imported beer also on the ground, this time truly decorated with the rest of yesterday's dinner. The lettuce Monroe brought home yesterday was pulled apart. Well, at least three or four of its tasty green leaves found the right location - right in the middle of the the spilt bottle of dressing. Shattered glass and porcelain everywhere, his pots and the pans he didn't want to know.  
In other words, Monroe's kitchen had turned into a dump!  
"Oh, dear God!" Monroe swore. "I knew you guys were thourough but this? Why the heck did you do this?"  
"I was searching for evidence!" Bruckner protested.  
There was a smell coming from the back door. An unwelcomed smell.  
Great!  
Monroe changed his mind, turning to the narrow cabinet near the back door.  
"Why you are doing this? Those are police officers! They have to answer to me!" Bruckner told him.  
"I'm pretty sure they've been ordered not to answer to you, man", Monroe answered bluntly, opening the closet door.  
An ironing table popped up out, coming to rest parallel to the floor.  
"Great, and now you want to offer to iron their clothes if they let you go?" Bruckner asked.  
"Not really." Monroe pushed a hidden button and the back panel of the closet slid aside. "Move!" he ordered, pushing Bruckner into the small entrance.  
"You are really ..."  
With a loud and heavy explosion, the front door crashed open, into the wall.  
Monroe swore again, pushing himself into the small, secret room behind the ironing table. With a push of another button, he managed to close the doors before turning around, a relieved sigh on this lips.  
"I'll call you back." Bruckner ended the call but kept the display lit. "What is this?" he asked.  
"A secret room the original owners built with this house", Monroe explained. He ignored the uneasy feeling of being in close proximity with a Hundjäger "But I think it's better now not to speak. We are safe as long as they don't hear us."  
Bruckner frowned and handed the iPhone back to Monroe. "My sister said I could trust you and that the Grimm doesn't go on hunts."  
"Nick doesn't hunt", Monroe said lowly, grabbing his cell back. He changed the call-properties – just in case.  
There were some very small holes dotting over the walls. Most of them were sealed but some still viewed the outside.  
Monroe slowly leaned forward and tried to ake a look at what was going on in his kitchen. His destroyed kitchen he winced silently.  
"Do you have any idea why those guys are here?" Bruckner asked softly.  
Monroe shook his head. "Nothing springs to mind."  
A dark-haired woman in business dress entered his kitchen. Looking around with cold eyes and an equally frigid demeanour, she finally nodded before she left the kitchen.  
"Search everything! We need that artifact!"  
What the hell?  
Her smell was mysterious unfamiliar. There was the odor of Wesen about her.  
"She's Wesen", Monroe decided.  
"Really?" Bruckner sent him an amused look in the darkness. "Never would have guessed that."  
Monroe turned around, looking at Bruckner with woged eyes. "You know her?"  
"That's the fill-in for the Captain. She teamed me up with your house pet", the Hundjäger answered with a slight sniff.  
Monroe frowned. "Really?"  
Why did he suddenly have the impression that there was something else going on? And what the heck was this woman? He never smelled something like her before.  
"Or are you the pet in this house?" Bruckner teased.  
Monroe's attention was more on what had happened to his house than of the Hundjäger who tried to poke and provoke him. Again he looked through one of the holes, then turned around.  
"Do you know what happened to Nick's captain?" he asked.  
Bruckner shook his head. "I don't usually work for the third precinct", he said. "It's only because the Commissioner and the Mayor ..."  
"Yeah, Nick told me about that." Monroe closed one eye and pressed the other against the hole in the wall. Those SWAT guys had started to tear his kitchen even more apart as it was before. It hurt like a kick to the guts! He always tried his best to keep his house nice and clean.  
Wait a minute! Artifact? Did that mysterious woman say artifact?  
Monroe remembered that key he'd found in Nick's drawer. Where did he … ?  
His hand found the side-pocket of his pants and he felt the key inside it. Okay, so far so good.  
"Do you know where she came from?" he asked.  
"She said fifth precinct when she introduced herself", Bruckner answered. "Why you are so interested in her?"  
Monroe shook his head. "There's something strange going on, man", he hissed. "There's something really, really wrong ..." Still he looked through that peek-hole, pondering.  
Man, this spring-cleaning was going to be quite the endeavour ...


End file.
